This invention relates to a golf putting training and practice aid that is portable, easy to use anywhere and provides the golfer with immediate feedback regarding his putting stroke.
Proper stance, eye location and club stroke are crucial to accurate putting in the game of golf. One missed stroke on the green can mean the difference between winning and losing. Accordingly, it is important for a golfer to be able to practice his putting in such a manner as to be able to be apprised of what he is doing wrong and how to correct it.
Previous means and methods of obtaining such feedback have involved individual instruction from a golf pro who watches the golfer, analyzes the mistakes made and suggests ways to correct them. This can be expensive and requires the golfer to actually go to the course on a regular schedule for his instruction. Video tape is also used to record the golfer's movements so that it can be played back, often with review and comments by the golf pro or instructor. Again, this requires expensive equipment and the presence of another person.
What is needed is a device that allows the golfer to see his stance in relationship to the ball and to watch his putting stroke as it progresses thereby providing instant feedback to the golfer.
Such devices are known; however, they are deficient in that they do not provide a means whereby the golfer can view his stance, stroke and ball position in combination as his putting stroke is made.
For example, Henderson, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,874, describes a putting aid comprising a channel shaped member having a width between side walls that is sufficient for the passage of a putter head. A reflective insert at the bottom of the channel allows the golfer to concentrate his eye position on the ball but provides no indication of his relative stance which can affect the actual stroke of the club. This device is also intended to be used with a golf ball in place.
Whittaker, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,882, describes a golf guide designed to aid the golfer in aligning the club head at a precise right angle with respect to the desired path of the ball immediately before hitting it and to guide the club in the proper arc away from the ball after hitting it. Toward this end, the device comprises a flat elongated member that is pointed at one end to indicate the direction for the ball to follow and which has a notch or other means at the opposite end to locate the device relative to the ball at rest. A centerline is visually indicated by a longitudinal stripe thereby providing a guide for the club head to follow after striking the ball. Although the surface of the device is reflective, there is no way for the golfer to gauge his relative stance beyond his eye position over the ball.
Shirhall, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,905, describes a practice mat made from a carpet material and having indicia to indicate the stance and ball position for different clubs and golfers of different heights and reach. Stance is indicated by a series of lines showing the golfer where to place his feet with a second and third series of lines to indicate the angle and reach of the particular club being used. No provision is made for the golfer to actually see his overall body position over the mat.